KUALA LUMPUR, March 20 — The health tourism industry has contributed to the increase of tourist arrivals in the country.

Tourism and Culture Minister, Datuk Seri Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz said this followed the provision of health and medical care that was competitive and the best compared to Malaysia’ neighbouring countries.

"Tourists in the health industry mostly want to obtain medical services in this country because they trust our doctors have come from the best universities such as in Russia, India and China, and they are confident to come here (to seek treatment.”

He said this is reply to a supplementary question from Loke Siew Fook (DAP-Seremban) on how far the health tourism industry had contributed to the country’s economy.

Mohamed Nazri said Malaysia also offered the best after-care services as it had many beautiful holiday resorts to help in the recuperating process.

"We have also won the world’s top awards in providing the best health tourism services for three years in a row, therefore this industry is definitely important in helping the country’s tourism industry,” he said.

Mohamed Nazri said the ministry was prepared to cooperate and welcomed agencies involved in the health tourism industry to participate in the tourism expositions held across the world.

"The ministry is always ready to provide services and accept those agencies involved in the industry to promote our health tourism to other countries,” he added.

Later, speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby, Mohamed Nazri said the country’s tourism industry was not adversely affected although China had placed a temporary ban on the export of raw, cleaned birds’ nests to the republic.

Yesterday, the Veterinary Services Department (VSD) sent two letters to the authorities in China to explain the H5N1 or bird flu outbreak situation in Kelantan.

In a statement, the department said the letters had to be sent following the temporary ban on raw, cleaned swiftlet nests from Malaysia to China.

It also said that the Agriculture and Agro-based Industry Ministry’s secretary-general and VSD deputy director-general would be visiting China to explain the actual H5N1 situation and measures taken to deal with the outbreak. — Bernama